Skip to main content

tv   MSNBC Live  MSNBC  January 24, 2013 8:00am-9:00am PST

8:00 am
i'm maria, and i have diabetic nerve pain. i felt like my feet were going to sleep. it was like pins and needles
8:01 am
sticking in your toes and in your feet. it progressed from there to burning like i was walking on hot coals. at that point, i knew i had to do something. when i went to see my doctor, she chose lyrica. once i started taking the lyrica, the pain started subsiding. [ female announcer ] it's known that diabetes damages nerves. lyrica is fda approved to treat diabetic nerve pain. lyrica is not for everyone. it may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. or swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, changes in eye sight including blurry vision, muscle pain with fever, tired feeling, or skin sores from diabetes. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs, and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. those who've had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. having less pain... it's a wonderful feeling. [ female announcer ] ask your doctor about lyrica today.
8:02 am
it's specific treatment for diabetic nerve pain. to hear more patient stories, visit lyrica.com. hi, everybody. good morning. i'm thomas roberts. several developing stories unfolding in washington right now. any minute, dianne feinstein set to introduce a bill to ban assault weapons. along with the vice president joe biden, who will hold his own fire side chat on google plus this afternoon to talk about the president's sweeping and ambitious gun control plan, then in a matter of hours, the pent gaunt is set to make a ground breaking change. leon panetta will shatter the so-called brass ceiling and lift the ban on women serving on the front lines of combat. >> the most hard-bitten combat veterans knew this was inevitable, but the announcement yesterday sent shock waves through the military and
8:03 am
pentagon. >> bottom line, it has to be done. it we want to be there, we should be there. if we choose to serve and have the physical capability to do so, we should be there. >> as we speak, happening right now, john kerry is on the hill for what is expected to be smooth sailing. the confirmation hearing of secretary of state. he began with a spirited defense of the woman he will be replacing and then he got emotional. >> i would take office as secretary, proud that the senate is in my blood, but equally proud that so, too, is the foreign service. my father's work under presidents boat democrat and republican, took me and my siblings around the world for a personal journey that brought home the sacrificed and the commitment the men and women of the foreign service make every day on behalf of america. >> in marked contrast to yesterday when a fiery clinton faced her critics on the hill, senator clinton or secretary
8:04 am
clinton was side by side with senator mccain to introduce kerry as the best choice to follow in her footsteps. >> he's a determined and effective representative of the united states. has been as a senator, will be as secretary. >> and things were cordial enough moments ago. senator mccain was still blasting clinton for her testimony yesterday. >> she really didn't answer any questions, her response to senator johnson about whether there was a spontaneous demonstration or not, saying it didn't matter, it didn't matter how these people died? that was stunning. that was really stunning. of course it matters. >> all right, let's dive right in and say good morning to our thursday political power. mark ginsburg, joi ann reed, ron reagan, and republican strategist susan del percio. it's great to have you all here. as we speak right now, the confirmation hearing of john
8:05 am
kerry is taking place. started roughly after 10:00 a.m. and this is a big difference of what we saw yesterday, ironically enough, this is the senate committee that kerry technically still chairs, and he made a joke about that, saying it was pretty -- pretty interesting position to be on the soother side, and those esteemed senators that sit up there. let's start out with how this started off. he showed up with a power panel that was fresh, experienced, and bipartisan. when i talked about fresh, elizabeth warren, experienced, hillary clinton, and bipartisan, mccain. >> our friendship has been affected from time to time by our enthusiasm for the conflicting views and by the competitive nature of politics, but the friendship has endured, i believe, it is based in mutual respect. >> mark, i want to start with you. everybody says this is going to be smooth sailing for john kerry. what are your impressions so far about what we witnessed in the
8:06 am
first hour? >> thomas, it's exactly as you said. senator kerry is going to be expeditedly confirmed by the senate. he's going to move into a position that he has been groomed for for almost five decades. i had the privilege of knowing him ever since i came to work for his senior senator for massachusetts, ted kennedy. i have enormous admiration. he clearly knows his agenda, and most importantly, he has the comedy of bipartisan relations on both sides of thei ieaisle a both sides of the congress. he's well respected, so he may have a much more easier time to get the resources that he needs, which ultimately is essential for him to succeed. >> we point out 28-plus years as a senator, so he knows highway around the hill very well. he is also adept at dealing with the protester who shows up at the end of his opening statements. i want to remind everybody what happened. take a listen. >> when will enough be enough?
8:07 am
i'm tired of my friends in the middle east dying. i don't know if they're going to be alive the next day. >> so john kerry said that he appreciated the opinion of that voice that was being given there, maybe not the fashion in which it was delivered, but also went on to say that people measure what we do, and talked directly to senator mccain about having visited the area of the middle east and a camp that that young woman was talking about, but ron, i want to talk to you about this because he's going for the top diplomatic job, and right there, he had to smooth over a situation that popped up in his testimony. >> yeah, that was an awfully diplomatic moment for john kerry there. and of course, he harkened back to his early days when he testified before a similar committee about the vietnam war. so he sort of tied in his past and his future there. and he was trying to make the point when that woman began to speak out, and i couldn't quite tell what she was saying.
8:08 am
she was probably right, but he was trying to talk about how people, you know, what the state department does actually affects people, not only overseas, but here at home as well, and you had a perfect example of it right there, somebody speaking up, having strong feelings about our position overseas. and he segues in and out of that beautifully. >> she was protesting deaths taking place in the middle east right now. we want to ask you to stand by. senator dianne feinstein is about to introduce the new assault weapons ban right now. take a listen. >> legislation to help end the mass shootings that have devastated countless families and terrorized communities. today, you will hear from some of my colleagues in the senate. senator dick durbin from illinois, part of the leadership on the democratic side. senator chuck schumer from new york, who helped me immeasurably in 1993 by headlining or i should say leading the effort in
8:09 am
the house of representatives, which was successful. the senators richard bloomenthol and chris murphy, distinguished senators from connecticut who know first hand about assault weapons. you will also hear from congresswoman carolyn mccarthy from new york who knows first hand the devastation of gun violence as well as congressman ed peaurearpearlmater of colora congresswoman elizabeth esty, who represents newtown. you'll also hear from mayor michael nutter, from philadelphia, who leads the distinguished conference of mayors. you will hear from commissioner charles ramsey of the philadelphia police department, the current president of the major cities police chiefs association, who will speak about the display of weapons you see to my left.
8:10 am
finally, we will hear from victims of recent mass shootings. i would also like to recognize other supporters who are here today. on the risers behind me, we have police officers from several departments, and i so thank you for joining us here today. i would also like to recognize a million moms for gun control, who are represented by mrs. san brg here today, doctors for america, the american academy of pediatrics, and the american federation of teachers. now, i would like to introduce the very reverend gary hall, dean of washington national cathedral to open this morning with a few remarks and a prayer.
8:11 am
>> thank you, senator feinstein. it's an honor to be here today with you and to share in the work that you and your colleagues and faiths united against gun violence are doing. i spoke twice at washington cathedral on gun violence, and i have done it in the pulpit and in the media and in conversation with fellow faith leaders and with people in my own church. now we have come to the end of the preaching part of our work, and we are moving forward today with a tangible solution to the epidemic as we stand with senator feinstein and with her congressional colleagues as they introduce this assault weapons ban. as people of faith, we have the moral obligation to stand with and for the victims of gun violence and to work to end it. we have tolerated school shootings and mall shootings and theater shootings and sniper shootings and workplace shootings and temple and church shootings and urban neighborhood
8:12 am
shootings for far too long. enough is enough. now, everyone in this city seems to live in terror of the gun lobby. but i believe that the gun lobby is no match for the cross lobby. especially when we stand together as people of all faiths, across -- >> you're listening to dean gary hall after dianne feinstein was able to open up the information she wanted about the new legislation. we see the podium, the assault weapons ban of 2013. the senator reminding us how she was working forcefully back in the early 1990s to helm the gun control legislation that expired in 2004. my panelist today, mark ginsburg, ron reagan, and in studio with me, joy reed and susan del percio. the appetite on the hill to get anything done of this level is what? >> it depends on which side you go to. if they want to bring this
8:13 am
legislation to the senate first, i think you're going to see a lot of push-back among the democrats. they don't want it to come first, especially harry reid. it was so clear today there needs to be more education. there's no need for assault weapons, but when you saw what senator manchin went through in the town hall, saying do you think they're out to take your guns? and half the people thought, yes, this is not about taking away people's arms. this is about stopping assault weapons. so we need to do a little more education, and it's going to be a tough road for senate democrats to get through. >> it says a lot about information and providing the right context for this, joy ann, and as susan points out, the fact about the appetite not being there on the right. the fact is with harry reid, and he's a propro-gun, as well as j mansion. joe said on "morning joe" that we need to do something, and he's been the target of people coming at him pretty hard about
8:14 am
those statements. where do you see this going from here? >> i think the nra is marginalizing itself daily with the statements they're making and probably making it easier for senate democrats to act. i spoke with a senior member of the house who said to me that this is going to have to start in the senate. that this personal believed that you could pass a pretty decent gun control measure in the house if the senate acted first. >> let's go back to senator feinstein. >> designed originally for the military to kill large numbers of people in close combat. are replicated for civilian use. they fall into the hands one way or another, of grievance killers, of gangs, of those who are mentally unstable or ill. they are sold out of trunks and back-seats of automobiles in cities as well as gun shows with no questions asked. massacres have taken place in businesses, law practices, malls, movie theaters, and
8:15 am
especially schools. these massacres don't seem to stop. they continue on. columbine, virginia tech, aurora, tucson, oak creek. a common thread in these shootings is each gunman used a semiautomatic assault weapon or large capacity ammunition magazine. military-style assault weapons have but one purpose, and in my view, that's a military purpose, to hold at the hip if possible, to spray fire, to be able to kill large numbers. since the last assault weapons ban expired in 2004, and incidentally, in the ten years it was in place, no one took it to court, more than 350 people have been killed with assault weapons. more than 450 have been injured. we should be outraged by how
8:16 am
easy it is for perpetrators of these horrific crimes to obtain powerful military-style weapons. >> again, we have been listening to senator dianne feinstein as she goes ahead to introduce the new assault weapons bill of 2013. she was the face of the bill in the 1990s. and that expired in 2004. >> joining me is congresswoman jackie speier. i have been asking my panel about the appetite in washington for this. is the biggest problem pro gun democrats in the senate to see something like this move forward? >> i think it is. i think the nra is still a very powerful force. and we need to work with them to find a way to get to yes. and that's really our challenge. i totally support the assault weapon ban. i think the most critical thing we can do, however, is to make
8:17 am
sure that we have a universal background check, and that we ban these high-capacity magazines. >> congresswoman, explain why this is so personal to you and now in your professional capacity to see something done. >> it's personal to me on two levels. one, i carry the assault weapon ban in california many years ago, back in 1989, and feel very strongly about it. and before that, i was shot in jonestown, gianna, five times, left for dead on an air strip for 22 hours, so i know the kind of brutality that assault weapons can do to human beings. and we just don't need the slaughter of people in this country because of a right to own firearms, which there is clearly a right to own firearms, but not a right necessarily to own assault weapons. >> congresswoman, we also brought you onboard today so we
8:18 am
could have an opportunity to talk to you about women in combat. lucky we got you early to speak about senator feinstein's asa assault weapons ban. but the pentagon is going to make this change is lift the ban on women in combat. this move will open up 238,000 jobs that were previously off limits to women, as we know from the facts, 152 women have died in the iraq and afghanistan wars. women now currently make up 15% of the military ranks. yet, there's still a large resistance to breaking the brass ceiling, to putting women on the front lines. what's your reaction to this? >> it's great news. you know, 20% of the new recruits are women. and it is clear that women have been a part of the military structure for some time. it's been a distinction without a difference. they have been serving at the front lines. we now have a member of congress in the house, tammy duckworth, who has become a paraplegic for
8:19 am
her service in the military. so the time is right, and women bring, i think, an added value to our military, much like they do in israel and many other countries around the world. >> i had a chance to see you over the weekend and talk with you about the fact you appear briefly in the oscar nominated film "the invisible war." the timing of yesterday being the fact there were congressional hearings going on with women who have faced sexual assault within the military service. explain the timing of this because to me it struck me as kind of odd that this announcement would come on the same day as those hearings were taking place, where women are being assaulted time and time again and not being able to report to see justice done to their assailants, and now this, coming up to kind of propel women forward to the front lines. >> it is kind of an interesting mix of events that have taken place. 19,000 women and men a year are raped or assaulted. and only 13% actually report.
8:20 am
we have a problem in many places, lackland airforce base was the topic yesterday of the hearing where we had military training instructors who took advantage of young trainees, 17, 18, 19 years of age, and assaulted them, raped them, had sex with them, and clearly, we have to do more to make sure that they are kicked out of the military, that we don't have sexual predators preying on young recruits, and that we take seriously the cases of rape as they come forward. i believe strongly that we need to take the chain of command out of the equation, which means that you would report it through the chain of command but to a separate entity that would have prosecution investigation power, and that would be independent. right now, the chain of command, your unit commander decides whether or not to move forwarar with the prosecution, and frankly, they are judge and jury with no legal training or jud
8:21 am
judicial training and it does not work. >> i think a lot of people, their eyes would be opened. it's called "the invisible war." thank you so much. nice to see you. >> my pleasure. >> i'm going to speak with shannon watts, founder of the million moms for gun control. you saw senator dianne feinstein reference them moments ago. we'll have shannon here to talk to her about what this legislation potentially means, and rhode island, the last hold-out for marriage equality among the new england states, but maybe not for much longer. an historic vote happening tonight. look, if you have copd like me, you know it can be hard to breathe, and how that feels. copd includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. spiriva helps control my copd symptoms by keeping my airways open for 24 hours. plus, it reduces copd flare-ups. spiriva is the only once-daily inhaled copd maintenance treatment that does both.
8:22 am
spiriva handihaler tiotropium bromide inhalation powder does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms. tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, glaucoma, trouble urinating, or an enlarged prostate. these may worsen with spiriva. discuss all medicines you take, even eye drops. stop taking spiriva and seek immediate medical help if your breathing suddenly worsens, your throat or tongue swells, you get hives, vision changes or eye pain, or problems passing urine. other side effects include dry mouth and constipation. nothing can reverse copd. spiriva helps me breathe better. (blowing sound) ask your doctor about spiriva.
8:23 am
8:24 am
overmany discounts to thine customers! [old english accent] safe driver, multi-car, paid in full -- a most fulsome bounty indeed, lord jamie. thou cometh and we thy saveth! what are you doing? we doth offer so many discounts, we have some to spare. oh, you have any of those homeowners discounts? here we go. thank you. he took my shield, my lady. these are troubling times in the kingdom. more discounts than we knoweth what to do with. now that's progressive. welcome back. we have asked our power panel to stick around. ambassador mark ginsburg. joy ann reid, ron reagan, and susan del percio. all right, gang, i appreciate your patience. one thick, it's deja vu all over again on the hill.
8:25 am
yesterday, secretary of state hillary clinton was appearing before her hearing about the benghazi situation of four months ago where we lost four americans on september 11th of 2012 in the consulate attack. they say, politically, what struck us about secretary of state hillary clinton's appearance is it marked the end of her four-year honeymoon with republicans especially as we begin to turn to 2016. i want to remind everybody how that went with republicans yesterday. >> the answer is frankly that you have given this morning are not satisfactory to me. >> had i been president at the time and i found you did not read the cables from benghazi, you did not read the cables from ambassador stevens, i would have relieved your of your post. >> you let the consulate become a death trap. >> i want to talk to you about this first, ron. given the fact that the secretary of state has had an unparalleled run within this position, and certainly well credited for the diplomacy that
8:26 am
she has exhibited throughout her run, what do you think of the shots taken at her yesterday? >> i suspect senators like mccain and rand paul and johnson were thinking ahead to 2016 and hoping that they could provide whoever hillary clinton's prospective opponent might be in a presidential election, provide them with footage they can use in attack ads. instead, hillary clinton gave herself a highlight reel by spanking the senators pretty forcefully there. they came off as unserious. she came off as very serious. >> you bring up senator johnson. i want to bring up that exchange. it seemed to be the most heated of the day. >> the american people could have known that within days and they didn't know that. >> with all due respect, the fact is we had four dead americans. was it because of a protest or guys out for a walk who decided to kill some americans? what difference at this point
8:27 am
does it make? it's our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again, senator. >> show everybody the cover of the "new york post" today that says no wonder bill's afraid. joy ann, i want to start with you on this one. they capture that moment in time there. again, as i said, it got heated during that exchange, but you would not see a man put in that position on the front page of the "new york post" saying no wonder his wife is afraid. >> it goes to show you the core problem on the right at this moment. the fact that republicans thought it wisdom to sit there and attack, and really, i would say almost an undignified fashion, the former first lady, a very popular secretary of state and the most popular political's face it, in the country. i think ron was right, they're looking forward to 2016. instead, what they got was hillary clinton at her very best. she is a lawyer, she is a trained communicator, and she
8:28 am
really did spank the republicans who were attempting to attack her. there were guys up there who believe brightmark.com conspiracy theories that she was waching the attack on close kirk circuit tv. >> is this undignified behavior by republicans who are circling the wagon to rebrand themselves? >> it wasn't smart behavior. it made no sense to go after hillary clinton on her last day. there are legitimate concerns and they could have brought them up, but instead, they tried to whack her around like a pinata, and it was a huge mistake. now they come off as looking so political, like ron said, now she has a highlight reel, and you don't do this to one of the most popular women in america, especially when you're trying to appeal to female voters. >> as ron pointed out, the potential of the fact there could be people against her coming up in 2016 that will dig back and pull some of this out. as we look at the new abc/washington post poll, talking about potentially vice president biden and secretary of
8:29 am
state hillary clinton facing off against each other, the vice president, 48%, hillary clinton at a whopping 67%. i want to ask you, after watching yesterday and reading the take-aways, what are the biggest take-aways for the state department for our country to learn from that testimony? >> most importantly, that the security apparatus of the state department needs to be fixed, that it is underresourced, that there has to be a complete sweep of the senior management of the department to bring in people who understand security, and most importantly, john kerry inherits a real mess among the sand pirates of north africa and the resurgence of al qaeda as the administration tried to pivot to asia. this is a problem that was not the making of secretary clinton, but it's clearly a problem that unfortunately she's going to have to bequeath to her successor. >> we'll be watching that as you talk about her successor. senator john kerry going through his confirmation hearings right now. i want to say thanks to all four
8:30 am
of you for your patience. susan del percio, joy ann reid, ron reagan, and mark ginsburg. >> the annihilation of plans. john boehner accused the obama administration of trying to destroy the republican party. plus -- >> we are working on all of this all together. whether it's civil rights for african-americans or equality for women, or equality for the lgtb community. >> oh, my. he takes on the world and the internet in his new ebook, and he's going to join me live in the studio. you don't want to miss it. progresso this reduced sodium soup says it may help lower cholesterol, how does it work? you just have to eat it as part of your heart healthy diet. step 1. eat the soup. all those veggies and beans, that's what may help lower your cholesterol and -- well that's easy [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. gives you 1% cash back on all purchases, plus a 50% annual bonus.
8:31 am
and everyone likes 50% more... [ midwestern/chicago accent ] cheddar! yeah! 50 percent more [yodeling] yodel-ay-ee-oo. 50% more flash. [ southern accent ] 50 percent more taters. that's where tots come from. [ male announcer ] the capital one cash rewards card gives you 1% cash back on every purchase plus a 50% annual bonus on the cash you earn. it's the card for people who like more cash. 50% more spy stuff. what's in your wallet? this car is too small. yeah. then how'd i get this... [ voice of dennis ] ...safe driving bonus check? every six months without an accident, allstate sends a check. ok. [ voice of dennis ] silence. are you in good hands?
8:32 am
8:33 am
on women, but could there be a war on the republican party looming in president obama pfsz second term? take a listen to what speak eer john boehner said before a republican think tank thursday. >> we're expecting here over the
8:34 am
next 22 months to be the focus of this administration, as they attempt to annihilate the republican party. and let me just tell you, i do believe that is their goal, to just shove us into the dust bin of history. >> to shove us into the dust bin of history. joining me now is freshman congressman, a democrat from calf camp. he narrowly beat out a republican to become the third american-indian congressman in history. we have all heard this broad plan and the goals of the president, wanting to pass immigration reform, also now freshly wanting to tackle gun violence in this country and get a handle on the national debt that seems to be an ongoing problem, but what do you think when you hear as a freshman congressman that the speaker of the house thinks president obama has a master plan to aannihilat
8:35 am
the republican party? >> first, it'sigate to be on. the president laid out an ambitious agenda that is in line with where we are as americans. we have to go about re-creating jobs. we have to pass a jobs bill, start investing in our infrastructure again. it may be that the republican party is out of line with where we are as americans. >> let me play what you had to say for your colleagues. you're one of 86 democrats who voted in favor of the no budget no pay republican bill yesterday. as you talk about the future of our country, and we look at that, the debt limit bill, 199 yea, 86 democrats voted in favor of that. take a lisb to this. >> we have a law. it's called the budget act. it requires that congress passes a budget. by april 15th. all we're saying is, congress, follow the law. >> this bill, in my view, is an
8:36 am
irresponsible waste of our time. this bill kicks the can down the road for 90 days. if that's our premise, we are holding hostage policy in an undemocratic dictatorial fashion. gr for four years, nearly four years, the united states senate has not done a budget. and so this bill before us is real simple. it says, congress, if you don't do a budget, you don't get paid. >> this is institutionalized bribery is extortion. it should never be considered. >> do you agree with steny hoyer had to say about holding policy hostage and this is kicking the can down the road? >> we introduced legislation last week that was a clean no budget no pay piece. i think we should have a clean debt ceiling extension and the fact they coupled it together probably is not how i would have
8:37 am
introduced legislation. that said, our job is putting together a responsible budget. that allows the public to see what our priorities are, how we're going to use our tax revenue. and we can do this in a smart way. >> one thing that is going on currently as we speak, the confirmation hearings for john kerry to take over for secretary clinton, and yesterday, it was certainly a big day on the hill for secretary clinton about the benghazi situation. i want to play for everybody what you had to say as well as senator barbara boxer told the secretary of state. >> as a new member of congress, i think i speak for all the freshman that we're not going to get much time to serve with you, but we hope in a few years we'll get that chance to serve again. >> i want to thank you because this is maybe the last time you'll come before us as secretary here. i want to thank you for your advocacy on behalf of women around the globe. you will be sorely missed, but i, for one, hope not for too
8:38 am
long. >> those were just a small sampling of what boat sides had to say, democrats from the house and senate side of things to the secretary. now i want to say what radio personality rush limbaugh had to say about these interactions. >> i have never seen groveling, butt-kissing, sucking up. so what was happening here was the cleansing of mrs. clinton's record. in advance of her presidential run in 2016. setting her up. >> explain why you felt compelled to begin your questions with the statements you made to the secretary? >> i think the secretary has done a phenomenal job as secretary of state, and i think both democrats and republicans would agree she's been one of our most outstanding secretary of states in thhistory. i was just praising her. 2016 is a ways away. you know, she has been a tremendous public servant and we hope she serves again.
8:39 am
>> do you think rush limbaugh was accurate, that this is his opinion that this was butt kissing at its best? >> i don't pay a whole lot of attention to rush limbaugh. >> california congressman, thanks so much and we look forward to having you back on. >> thank you. >> the state of rhode island is edging closer to passing marriage equality legislation. they may have a sea change as the state house is expected to pass a bill allowing anyone, quote, to marry anyone of any gender. in nine states, it's legal. five are in new england. if rhode island says yes, that will secure all the new england states. bill handy is the author of that bill and joins me now. there have been groups opposing this bill. some were quoted in a "new york times" article today that calls rhode island the last hold-out, and in its headline, your knver asked for this bill on the grounds of religious tolerance.
8:40 am
as we watched the president give his full throated support of marriage equality in his inaugural address, there is a national mandate for tolerance in this country. do you think rhode island will pass this legislation? >> i do think rhode island will. i think the momentum is really with this issue to bring the rights and responsibilities to all of our families here in the state of rhode island, the same kind of rights and responsibilities my wife and i have had for 16 years now. >> the democratic senate's president is opposed to marriage equality, but says she will allow a vote to take place on this, again, coming up tonight. obviously, this is a well supported agenda piece on the left, whether it's in a state like rhode island or elsewhere around the country. there are many people, though, within the state legislation there in rhode island who are openly gay. why do you think there remains such opposition to this, if religious provisions are put in
8:41 am
place like using maryland, for example? >> well, again, i think the time has come forth, the momentum is showing that way. while there's always resistance to any change along the way, this is something that more and more rhode islanders know this is the right time for this, that families really need this access to these rights and responsibilities. that really the unique protections that only marriage can offer, and that's why i'm really excited about the history we're making in the state house tonight and in the house of representatives is going to be the first chamber in rhode island to vote for marriage equality tonight, and i believe that when folks have a chance to vote their conscious, they're going to vote for it. >> explain the timeline after the vote this evening? >> sure, i'm again optimistic we'll pass it out of the house today. it will move to the senate where they have a similar bill. there will be a committee hearing and a vote on that side. as it moves forward, i would like to see it move through the
8:42 am
senate. there are more pro quality candidates elected here in the state of rhode island than any time in history and i think it's a demonstration of the momentum we have seen really around the whole country. >> we'll watch and see what happened. sir, thanks for joining me. coming up, senator dianne feinstein's 30-plus year assault on assault womens and what a million other mothers are doing to put an end to gun violence. and george takei joins me to talk about his new book and how he overtook the internet. so, we all set? i've got two tickets to paradise! pack your bags, we'll leave tonight. uhh, it's next month, actually... eddie continues singing: to tickets to... paradiiiiiise! no four. remember? whoooa whooaa whooo! you know ronny, folks who save hundreds of dollars by switching to geico sure are happy. and how happy are they jimmy? happier than eddie money running a travel agency.
8:43 am
get happy. get geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more.
8:44 am
8:45 am
♪ i don't wanna be right [ record scratch ] what?! it's not bad for you. it just tastes that way. [ female announcer ] honey nut cheerios cereal -- heart-healthy, whole grain oats. you can't go wrong loving it. the misshaped red blood cells that cause sickle cell disease may be able to fight cancerous tumors. a team of researchers used mice
8:46 am
to discover a method to use the cells block blood vessels from entering tumors, effectively killing them. researchers say this new method may one day help treat human cancers. >> so as we have been watching through this hour, senator dianne feinstein and the introduction of the assault weapons ban of 2013. that's connecticut senator chris murphy who has joined the chorus of voices along with senator feinstein, to reintroduce this bill. of course, it's been much awaited, and we're lurbiearningt the eastern sports and outdoor show scheduled for next week has apparently been postponed d ed o the controversy surrounding the bill. it calls for a ban on aseptember 11th weapons and high capacity clips. guns must be logged in a national registry. vice president biden will be part of a live interview hosted by google plus on gun violence. i would like to welcome back to
8:47 am
the show shannon watts, a mom of 5 who started the group in the wake of the shooting in newtown, one million moms for gun control. you and your organization recognized this morning by senator feinstein, and i want to show everybody this new abc/washington post poll which finds more than half of americans favor the president's gun control proposals. what do you think about senator feinstein's bill and the opposition, the uphill opposition it faces on the hill? >> we are thrilled that senator feinstein introduced this legislation today. obviously, we think it is important it be bundled as part of the president's gun violence prevention package and it be heard in its entirety and be voted on and we don't delay or dilute this legislation. moms will not stand for it. it is time for common sense gun control in this country. and we're thrilled that she made this announcement today. >> shannon, you have this march this weekend in washington, d.c.
8:48 am
explain what you hope to accomplish by this and also the numbers you're hoping to have show up. >> you know, we had a rally last week in new york, and this weekend, we're going to have not only this march in d.c. which we're co-sponsoring with the march on gun violence in washington, d.c. we also have 11 other events across the country that day. so for us, this is about frequency, it's not just about numbers. we're going to continue to be out in front of this issue of gun control, and we're going to continue to get moms to join us, to fight for common sense gun control legislation. every month, until we see change at the federal and state levels. >> you recently wrote an op-ed for the huffington post. you say americans can own guns and be responsible and kids can go to school and feel safe and we can enact gun control laws and honor our forefathers. i want to play what wayne
8:49 am
lapierre said on tuesday night. >> we're told that to stop insane killers, we must accept less freedom, less than the criminal class. and the political elites, less than they keep for themselves. >> do you think you and others like you will have the power to take on the nra, shannon? >> you know, there are 4 million members of the nra, and many of those members believe in common sense gun control. there are 80 million moms in thiscountry. many thought that the 2012 election would be determined by money. in fact, it was determined by the power of women and mothers. we believe we can do the same for gun control. we ask all moms to go to our website at o onemillionmomsforguncontrol. please join us and continue to show that we support common sense gun control legislation. >> there have been more than 1,000 shooting deaths since newtown. shannon watts, founder of one million moms for gun control.
8:50 am
thanks so much. we appreciate your time today. >> thank you. absolutely. and coming up, stick around because we are back with the one and only actor george takei, talking about his new book "oh, my." it's good to have you here. you're basically living here now. we're back with george after this. you're here for free, don't worry. to help those in need. when a twinge of back pain surprises him. morning starts in high spirits, but there's a growing pain in his lower back. as lines grow longer, his pain continues to linger. but after a long day of helping others, he gets some helpful advice. just two aleve have the strength to keep back pain away all day. today, jason chose aleve. just two pills for all day pain relief. try aleve d for strong, all day long sinus and headache relief. yeah, you -- you know, everything can cost upwards of...[ whistles ] i did not want to think about that. relax, relax, relax. look at me, look at me. three words, dad -- e-trade financial consultants.
8:51 am
so i can just go talk to 'em? just walk right in and talk to 'em. dude, those guys are pros. they'll hook you up with a solid plan. they'll -- wa-- wa-- wait a minute. bobby? bobby! what are you doing, man? i'm speed dating! [ male announcer ] get investing advice for your family at e-trade.
8:52 am
8:53 am
>> our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law. for, if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. >> you know, our next guest described that part of the president's maug all address on facebook as the best moment of the entire speech. george is not only an iconic actor and lgbt type offist and author of the book "oh my, there goes the internet." george, welcome, sir. >> i'm beaming. but it's pronounced take.
8:54 am
>> take. why do i -- i know this because you did that whole video saying it's okay to be take, correct? >> yes. but i don't object to take because that's a japanese word that translates into english as expensive, so i'm happy to accommodate. >> okay. well, i'm glad to know that i've got you pegged on both ways. as a successful actor and an activist and now an author as well, put on your activist hat, what does it mean to you to see the president give a speech that honors gays and lesbians in the way that it did? >> it was inspiring. it was deeply mooefing, and for my husband brad and me it was very, very personal. to be placed in that confidence when he talked about seneca falls, selma, and stonewall all seminal events for equality for women, equality based on race, and equality for lgbt people.
8:55 am
it was a thrilling, and i think that it's going to produce results this year. >> certainly you've been a leader in the forefront of being able to share your own personal experiences, and as an iconic figure through the decades, but one thing that's really interesting nowadays is watching how people explain and reveal their sexuality that was very interesting. there was a young man who was brave enough to appear before his class, and i just want to play it for everybody and get your reaction to this. take a look. >> you see every day, you see the acting part of straight people. unlike millions of other lgbt teens who have had to act every day to avoid harassment, violence, i'm not going to do it anymore. it's time for our society and
8:56 am
certain people particularly from discrimination against sex, racism, and only -- so take me or leave me. that's how i'm going to act from now on. >> what a great response. >> i capitol hear what he was saying. >> he was talking about the fact that they've known him throughout the hallways as a young man and an actor in a lot of the plays approximate in school, but his greatest acting job has been the fact that he has been trying to pass himself off as straight all of these years, and he came out in front of his class that day, and to the rouzing roar of applause. certainly a bold statement for a young man, but how do you think that you've made a difference and obviously integrated yourself wholly and publicly and certainly with writing this book, how does it make you feel? >> well, you know, that young man's story is really my story as well. i think that society has changed to make it that much more comfortable for him to come out. you know, i was -- i came out
8:57 am
just about a decade ago publicly. i had been out to my family and very, very close friends for a long, long time, many decades, and then to another group of friends, but speaking out publicly is very difficult, and particularly if you are, as he is, an actor, very visible, and for me it took a political moment in california. california did an extraordinary -- the california legislature. both houses, the senate and the assembly, passed the same-sex marriage bill in 2005. i think massachusetts was the only state that had -- >> marriage equality. >> -- marriage equality. and all it required was the signature of a governor, arnold schwarzenegger, who campaigned saying some of my best friends are gays and lesbians, so i thought surely he was going to sign it. when he vetoed it by playing to
8:58 am
his most reactionary republican segment of his base, that's when my blood boiled. i immediated speak out, and for my voice to be authentic, i needed to talk to the press. i came out. i think that the times are changing, and as more people come out, like that ynk man, the times change even more rapidly. certainly this year i think is going to be a bench mash year with the challenge to -- with zoo with the supreme court taking doma and proposition eight chshgs takes us back to california. >> george take, it is great to have you here, sir. congratulations on the book. it's called "oh my! ." >> there goes the internet. there's the front cover. great to have you here. that's going to wrap things up for me today. >> thanks, george. >> i'll see you back here tomorrow 11:00 a.m. eastern. now comes up next. visit washington dc every year.
8:59 am
some come to witness... some to be heard. we come to make an impact. to learn from leaders... and to lead others. to create... and create change. we are the george washington university... we come to make history. so i used my citi thankyou card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons. and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? and with all the points i've been earning, i was able to get us a flight to our favorite climbing spot even on a holiday weekend. ♪ things are definitely looking up. [ male announcer ] with no blackout dates, you can use your citi thankyou points to travel whenever you want. visit citi.com/thankyoucards to apply.